


Tip my cap to the raging sun

by risinggreatness



Series: Circle 'round the sun [9]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-18
Updated: 2014-09-18
Packaged: 2018-02-17 22:00:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2324654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/risinggreatness/pseuds/risinggreatness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anakin introduces Padmé to the sky as he sees it</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tip my cap to the raging sun

Padmé feels foolish and out of place in the immense hangar, but she is determined to find Anakin Skywalker. She’s had a hard time shaking him since they met. Rush Clovis is of the past; she tries to reassure herself that this is all just a fleeting infatuation.

As promised, he met with her again to speak about the slavery initiative. Born into the abhorrent system, he spoke frankly of what it would mean to remove it from the galaxy. His conviction is both understandable and moving; it bolsters her own.

Anakin Skywalker has settled into her heart. It is too late for her, though she does not know it.

She finds him underneath his ship, pulling out wiring; his astromech droid whirring about making its own modifications. The droid chirps at her arrival and he sits up instantaneously, miraculously avoiding knocking his head, pulling his goggles up.

Mystified at her unannounced appearance, “Sen – Padmé, what are you doing here?”

He came to her; now she comes to him.

Almost shyly, “I thought it might be fun to see where a Jedi works.”

He half-grins at her, “Master Yoda would disagree that a Jedi’s primary workplace is at a naval base. Come here.” At that, he grabs her hand and gently pulls her down to her knees; the mess of wires and connectors hanging from the ship’s undercarriage now in view.

“Hey, R2 would you hand me –” the droid passes him an extra pair of goggles. “Thanks.” He gives her the goggles, “So you can help me out!”

“Very funny.”

“I’m serious! I can show you how to trick a ship’s engineering into making faster turns!”

He lies down again, and against her better judgment, she joins him. They’re shoulder-to-shoulder, but he is absorbed by the mechanics.

He continues, “Most ships have a slight delay when you steer them; it’s a safety. It’s fine for most, but it’s frustrating for Jedi when their reflexes _know_ they want to make the adjustment and make it right then. I’ve been working on modifying as many of the Republic’s ships as possible, experimenting with my own. Although moving a Star Destroyer will always be slow.”

She frowns slightly, “Against regulation then.”

He shrugs, “The regulation should be different. You try now.” He pulls off his work gloves and gives them to her; her own hands swim in them.

She is hesitant, but he points to some uncoiled strands and an outlet. Despite the gloves, when his hand brushes past hers, it is an electric shock.

While she busies herself, he speaks again, much more contemplatively, with measures of reverence. “I love this ship. As a kid, I never worked on anything half as nice as this, but it’s not just piloting a Republic-grade vessel. It’s _flying_. There’s nothing like it; when it’s you and the galaxy and nothing else.”

She stops fiddling and turns to look at him. It’s awkward from her current position, but she has to see his face, to read the difference in expressions between the man who protests slavery and the man who embraces his freedom dearer than life.

Softly, “That sounds wonderful, Anakin.” She cannot muster more, lest she choke.

He turns towards her, “I could take you up; show you.”

“In this tiny thing? There’s barely room for you in it, let alone including me! You’ll be breaking safety regulation, that’s for sure.” She protests, but she wants to see what he sees.

“Nah, not in this. I’m supposed to be running tests on shuttles for Yularen; making sure they’re deep space ready. We’ll take one out. Don’t worry, there are _some_ regulations I pay attention to.”

As he helps her up from under the ship, the droid beeps and whistles furiously.

“Just finish it up, buddy. Put in the overrides if you want.” To Padmé, “He wants piloting access so that if something happens to me, he can fly the ship back. Mostly he just wants to take the ship away from me.”

 _If something happens to me_. He may be glib about it, but her stomach unexpectedly drops.

The gloves come off; her hands feel small and exposed.

The shuttle they’re test driving is not as sleek as his personal ship, but it’s different from anything Padmé’s ever flown in. Those are comfortable affairs: cushioned seats, portholes, and not a switch in sight. This has more controls than she can possibly think of uses for and a wide window that opens up the ship to everything.

The control panel lights up as Anakin takes the pilot’s seat; she settles into the co-pilot’s.

“Here we go!”

The engines roar to life and Padmé feels excitement bubbling up within her. Coruscant becomes smaller and smaller below them as they push off the horizon, and when they break atmosphere, all tethers slip away.

Her previous experience was dictated by not noticing the flying. This could not be more different.

The endlessness frightens her, as it also captivates her. What he said all makes sense. The planet, others, responsibility – they’re all far behind. Now it is as if everything is within her grasp.

She is so entranced she does not see that he only has eyes for her, beloved stars completely forgotten. When she does finally tear herself away, he fiddles with the controls and steals glances at the sky. They can stay or they can go anywhere.

Their reverie and comfortable silence are broken by a harsh static and an angry voice over the comm.

“Skywalker, when I said I wanted the shuttles inspected, I did not say they needed to be taken off-world.”

“Shit.”

The voice snaps, “What was that?”

He’s taken her on a tour that wasn’t actually what he was supposed to be doing. It amuses her more than it should and she represses a laugh as he responds, “Headed back right now, Admiral.”

There’s a low grumble on the other end, but she doesn’t make out what he’s saying because Anakin speaks over him to her.

“Strap in.”

Almost as soon as the strap is locked into place, the whole shuttle rolls over, twisting and speeding rapidly back towards the planet. She knows she should have anticipated some dramatic flying, but it still makes her feel sick to her stomach.

It looks as though the landing will be messy. What little Padmé knows about flying, she knows you don’t go this fast when trying to land. She braces herself for a hard impact, but it never comes. The shuttle whips around one hundred eighty degrees, screeches to a halt, and softly touches down in its bay.

Her face says it all: she did not expect to survive.

“You should talk to Obi-Wan. He hates my flying too.”

Her legs still shake as he helps her down the ramp. Admiral Yularen storms towards them.

“This warrants a write-up, Skywalker. You can’t just take Republic property whenever you feel like –” Spotting Padmé, “Oh good grief.”

She quickly steps in, “I’m sorry Admiral; it was my fault. I asked him to show me that the war budget is being put to good use.”

“Well, I hope everything was satisfactory, Senator.” To Anakin, dryly, “You’re lucky you had someone to save you this time. Now get back to your actual work.” He turns on his heel and heads back towards the nearest docked command ship.

Having regained her balance, she turns to Anakin, “That was wonderful, truly. Thank you.”

“No problem, maybe we should try it again.”

“But maybe with less stunt flying and at a time when you won’t get in trouble.”

“I can’t make any promises for either of those.”

She’s not sure she’d want it any other way.

Though not born to it, Padmé finds that she might have a new home.

**Author's Note:**

> See author bio for discussion on this 'verse.


End file.
